[2] It was described by Emma Stanislavovna Karmovskaya and David G. Smith in 2008.

[3] It is a tropical, marine eel which is known from the southwestern Pacific Ocean, including Fiji, New Caledonia, and the Solomon Islands.

It dwells at a depth range of 357–550 metres.

Males can reach a maximum total length of 16.1 centimetres.

[2] The species epithet "trimaculatus" means "three spots" in Latin, and refers to the quantity of spots adorning the anal and dorsal fins of the eel.